Her Guardian Angel 4-Her Angel Series (38 page)

His gaze
crept back to the frozen image in the pool and he couldn’t take his
eyes off his spear where it pierced her blood-soaked
chest.

He had
killed her.

“Come
away,” Apollyon said in a soothing low voice and gathered him
close, forcing him to look away from the image. It branded itself
on his mind and his heart, seared there for eternity.

He had
betrayed her.

What if
she remembered that?

“You see
the sort of game we are involved in, Marcus?” Veiron’s tone was
cold and dark, and he looked as angry as Marcus felt. More black
words rolled out of the pit and Veiron looked over his shoulder and
barked a curse back at the Devil. “We are all pawns. They play with
us… toy with our memories… twist our fate so we do as they desire
of us.”

Marcus
moved out of Apollyon’s arms and nodded. He did see the extent of
it all now. They had changed Apollyon’s memories of that time, and
had cursed Marcus so he would never falter on the path they had
chosen for him, driving him ever onwards towards this moment. They
used them all cruelly, Amelia most of all. It wasn’t her fault that
she had been born this way. It was their fault and they used her as
a weapon when they should have been finding a way to undo what they
had done, or to let her live in peace and die a natural
death.

He
wouldn’t let it go on.

He was
going to save Amelia even if he had to fight both Heaven and Hell
to achieve it.

“You saw
her death by my hands… when will it happen?” Marcus glared at
Veiron and tried to call his wings. He wasn’t surprised when they
didn’t emerge and the curse marks blazed against his
back.

“The
planetary alignment comes into effect soon. Her blood must be spilt
before the planets move out of alignment in seven days
time.”

“Seven
days.” If he could keep her safe for that length of time, would
that mean she would be free of this destiny? The look in Veiron’s
eyes said that he wasn’t sure of the particulars around her
sacrifice. There was little point in him asking the Devil. He
couldn’t trust either Heaven or Hell with this.

“Can you
lift this curse?” Marcus said and Veiron hesitated. “What is
it?”

“I said
that they had gone too far this time and that’s why I don’t want to
play this game of theirs anymore. It’s one thing having to remember
everything I’ve done in service of the Devil whenever I join his
ranks, it’s another for them to use me against you. I placed that
curse on you and was there when they erased your
memories.”

Marcus’s
eyes widened and he tried to recall seeing Veiron in the memories
that had come back to him. He couldn’t remember him but Veiron had
felt familiar to him back when they had met outside Einar’s home in
London.

“I was
like you once,” Veiron whispered and the feathers on his wings
started to drain of colour and fall again, revealing the dark
membrane beneath. “A guardian… we always start out together, you
know, reborn into the ranks of the guardians at the same time. And
then I fall. They’ve never made me curse you before though or gone
so far with altering your memories… but perhaps you were in danger
of changing your destiny. I can help you with that curse. I’m tired
of you winning all the time. She isn’t the only one who dies when
that happens.”

Marcus
stared at him. What hideous game were they playing with them all?
He had been reborn in a time of peace. He had died shortly after
killing her, and from what Veiron was saying, so had he.

Their
purpose had been fulfilled. Heaven and Hell had wiped the slate
clean and started the game over again.

He cursed
and the Devil sent one back at him. Veiron shifted further away
from the edge of the plateau when parts of it crumbled into the
fiery abyss, sending up showers of vivid orange sparks in an
intense wave of heat.

“I think
I shall get into trouble for this.” Veiron smiled, revealing sharp
red teeth. “He doesn’t like to be disobeyed, and neither does your
master.”

“Have we
ever worked together against them before?” Marcus looked towards
the pit and then up at the ceiling of the cavern.

Veiron
moved around him and touched the marks on his back. They burned
again. “Never… it has to be worth a shot. I really don’t feel like
dying again, not when life was just starting to become good. Just
keep your head on straight when you see her again and remember why
you’re there. If you can do that, there’s a chance you can beat
this.”

Marcus
nodded. He would. He would remember that he loved her with all of
his heart and that he had come to take her away from that place and
make her feel safe again so she would smile at him as she had
before.

So they
could be together.

The pain
in his shoulders faded and his wings burst free.

“You’re
going to have to be quick. Heaven will know what I’ve done and
they’ll do all in their power to stop you long enough for the
planets to align so they can spill her blood and activate the
seal.” Veiron drew the sword from the sheath at his waist and
looked across at Einar. “We won’t have much time if Marcus fails.
I’m not leaving without Taylor and I’m figuring you feel the
same.”

Einar
nodded and unsheathed his own sword. He met Marcus’s gaze and
smiled. “I’m relying on you… don’t you dare get me stuck down
here.”

Marcus
smiled back at him and Einar turned away before he could say
anything, running into the dark distance with Veiron leading the
way. Marcus looked back at Apollyon and Lukas and his confidence
faltered. What if his love for Amelia wasn’t enough to stop him
from following the destiny Heaven had planned for him? Apollyon
hadn’t been able to fight his destiny to kill Amelia. If they took
control of him, he wouldn’t be strong enough to break free of their
command and save her.

He didn’t
want to betray her again and kill her. He loved her so much. If he
ended up killing her, it would be the death of him too. He couldn’t
live knowing what he had done.

“It can
be different this time.” Apollyon spread his black wings and
flapped them, beating hot air against Marcus’s legs.

The
confidence in Apollyon’s blue eyes bolstered his own and he took a
deep breath and unfurled his silvery-blue wings. He flapped them
and silently begged them not to disappear on him now. If the
Devil’s army was attacking Heaven, it could be the chance he had
been waiting for. Heaven’s attention would be firmly on the battle.
They might not notice that he was free of his curse and was on his
way there.

A voice
at the back of his mind said that there might be another reason
they weren’t revoking his wings. They wanted him to come to them
now that the planets were falling into alignment so he could spill
Amelia’s blood in Heaven.

Marcus
drew another long steadying breath and called his armour so it
covered his chest and back. That wasn’t going to happen. He would
save her, not kill her.

“You can
make it right. History does not have to repeat itself. Believe in
your feelings for her and the future you desire, and you will be
strong enough to fight,” Apollyon said and a crack appeared in the
black ceiling of the enormous cavern.

Lukas
lifted off beside him. “I’ll go on ahead and return to Annelie and
Serenity to let them know what’s happening.”

Apollyon
nodded and Marcus looked at him.

“You are
not going with him?” Marcus said as Apollyon beat his broad black
wings and his feet left the ground but he made no move to follow
Lukas.

Apollyon
shook his head this time and smiled. The darkness in it unnerved
Marcus.

“I have a
score to settle.”

Apollyon
shot upwards and the ceiling above them split open, revealing a
jagged streak of blue. Marcus beat his wings and followed him,
heading for the mortal realm and glad to be leaving Hell behind. He
wouldn’t fail Einar or Veiron, or Amelia. With Apollyon at his
side, he was sure that he would find the strength to end this once
and for all.

He would
save her.

***

Chapter 24

Marcus
beat his silvery-blue wings, speeding up through the layers of air
that turned from warm to cold as the world dropped away below him.
Apollyon flew a few metres off to his right, his noble profile
turned upwards, fixed on their destination. The clouds parted and
Marcus’s pale blue eyes widened when he saw what lay ahead of
them.

It was
pandemonium.

The gate
of Heaven was under siege by hundreds of Veiron’s kind, their black
forms swarming against the huge pale walls of the fortress that
floated above the clouds.

In
amongst them were angels, battling ferociously against the foe that
threatened not only to breach the wall and enter Heaven, but to
take that which Heaven had stolen from Marcus.

They were
here for Amelia.

“This
could prove useful.” Apollyon looked across at him and drew one of
the curved golden blades hanging at his waist. He nodded towards
the gathered armies.

Marcus
didn’t slow his approach. He unsheathed the blade hanging on his
right side, clutching the silver and blue engraved grip tightly in
his left hand, and narrowed his eyes on their target.

Apollyon
was right.

Heaven’s
focus was on the demonic intruders waging war ahead of them. It was
a chance to get into Heaven unnoticed. All they had to do was get
past the battle and slip inside. The first wave of soldiers drew
closer and the sound of the fight rang in the air, a symphony of
metal on metal chiming out, and the scent of blood reached
him.

That was
going to be easier said than done.

“You
should turn back,” Marcus said and Apollyon offered him a grim look
in return. Marcus had tried several times to convince Apollyon to
return to the mortal realm so he wouldn’t get into any more trouble
with Heaven, but the former angel of death wasn’t listening. He was
intent on having vengeance for what Heaven had made him
do.

The
larger part of Marcus was grateful for his assistance during this
battle, but there was still a sliver that felt guilty and wished he
would return. He had already dragged his friends into this mess and
didn’t want them all to suffer punishment from Heaven for helping
him go against their orders.

“Try to
keep up.” Apollyon beat his black wings and shot into the fray. A
bright light exploded a moment later, sending both angels and
demons alike flying in all directions.

Marcus’s
heart bolted into action, thundering as adrenaline pounded through
him and he geared up for battle.

Another
explosion sent a demonic angel hurtling his way. Marcus flicked his
left hand out, extending the short handle of his silver blade into
a long staff, took hold of it in both hands and swept it up in a
fast sharp arc. He caught the demonic angel in between his obsidian
breastplate and loincloth, hitting him hard in the black-skinned
stomach, and propelled him upwards into the air.

Marcus
beat his wings and shot through the next wave of the battle,
twisting in and out and spinning to zip through the gaps between
the soldiers that swarmed in the cool air.

He spied
Apollyon ahead, raining dark fury down on those blocking his path.
The light burned a path through them and those quick enough made
their escape, leaving a wide gap for Marcus to fly through and take
the lead. Apollyon followed him, drawing his other blade, and
Marcus did the same. He kept the blade in his right hand short,
using it to defend himself as the demonic angels turned their
attention to him now.

The edge
of a hot blast of white light slammed into him, sending him
tumbling upwards through the air, flipping over and over until he
felt sick. Marcus spread his wings, stopping himself high above the
fray, and glared at Heaven. The heavy artillery blasted into the
battle below him, scoring wide tracts of air in it. If it had hit
him directly, it would have killed him.

“I think
we have been noticed.” Apollyon stopped beside him in the air,
beating his broad black wings to keep himself
stationary.

Marcus
scoured the battle below and then the dazzling white walls that
surrounded Heaven. The angels lining it at intervals were some of
the most powerful in Heaven, rivalling Apollyon’s strength. It was
going to be difficult to break through them to reach the interior
of the fortress but it wasn’t impossible.

He
watched the few demonic angels that had reached the wall as they
tried to fly over it. The force-field created by the angels on the
other side was too powerful to penetrate physically. It would take
great strength to tear through it and defeat one of the angels
responsible for creating it, forming a hole in the dome-like
shield.

Apollyon
ran his dark blue gaze over the battle, the walls, and then the
white fortress ahead of them that spiralled high into the air, tall
towers shining golden at their tips as they caught the
sunlight.